AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) intends to lead the way in conducting research on traditional medicine to cure various diseases including Covid-19.
MNH Executive Director Prof Lawrence Museru said this in Dar es Salaam yesterday when speaking during the launch of steam therapy and inhalation machines at the hospital.
He said the move to have the machines within its premises was to let experts develop interest into researching on traditional medicine.
“We treat people and we cannot say traditional medicine heals without studies so bringing this closer will help our experts to develop more interest into researching more,” he said.
According to Prof Museru the role of the hospital was to explain to the public and speak with evidence on how tradition medicine works but also regulate and come up with proper dosage.
The four machines have been produced by Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO).
The ministry of health has emphasized on the use of tradition medicine for patients both at home and hospitals as a supplement to specialized treatment they receive from hospitals.
The government chemist has been working to certify a number of natural local remedies that have met safety standards.
Already some Tanzanian-made herbal remedies have been approved by the government including Covidol, NIMRCAF, Planet plazplaz, Bingwa and Covontaxer. Others are Uzima, Bupiji and Lemogracy essential oil.
Steam therapy, which entails a concoction of herbs infused with ginger, lemon and neem, among other ingredients, is widely promoted and used in Tanzania as an alternative remedy to fight the highly contagious virus.
The machines have been inserted at MNH’s Mloganzila and Upanga branches.
The operator of the machine George Buchafye said traditional medicine is very useful if more research is conducted adding that already research has been conducted in the first place but more is in progress to examine more.
